Full Speed Ahead Renews Partnership With Caroline Mani

Full Speed Ahead will be supporting Caroline Mani over the next two seasons as official technical sponsor for Caroline's cyclocross (cx) and gravel bikes. She was previously on board with FSA during the 2017/18 race season and we are looking forward to another successful campaign with Caroline. She will be competing in US World Cup and Elite Cyclocross races before heading over to Europe to race World Cup events. Her season will be culminating with a return to the US for CX World’s in Lafayette, AR.

Her racing achievements include a silver medal at the 2016 World Championships in Zolder, Belgium along with five French national championship titles (most recent in 2019).

Caroline has chosen to race on FSA K-Force cockpits and carbon SL-K cranks, while riding on Vision Metron carbon wheels as she competes at the highest level this season.

We thought it would be fun to have a Q&A session with Caroline to understand her perspectives on competing, how she started and what she enjoys:

How did you start in cyclocross?
I competed in tennis and raced motocross since I was 6 years old. I broke my back and almost got paralyzed when I was 15 years old, but I started to ride a bike for recovery. Through mountain biking I found cyclocross and fell in love!

Do you have a favorite course?
In the US, I love Jingle Cross in Iowa City. In Belgium I enjoy Namur. They are both intense, usually tough conditions and a lot of running.

Do you have a pre-race ritual?
I listen to the same song on repeat for 30 minutes for my warmup. I like to dance a little bit to help me relax. On the start line I always take my shoes off to adjust my socks.

How does nutrition work into your training and is there a favorite recovery food?
Um, I’m still working on it! Maybe I’ll find great nutrition when I retire. I have to have my Floyd’s Chocolate Powder with almond milk.

What is your motivation in racing?
I don’t race for anyone but myself. My brain turns off for 50 minutes and I just go hard!

Favorite gravel event?
SBT GRVL, in Steamboat. Who doesn’t want to ride 10,000ft and 144 miles in the Mts.!?

How do you choose equipment for each race?
Having FSA equipment is crucial to my success. Pre-riding the race gives me the opportunity to make adjustments.

Favorite off-season activity?
Well, during 2020 I made my scale scream. Nutella and crepes were my best friends. Still working hard to get the Covid 17 pounds off. Sheesh.

Best memory of racing?
The 5 National Titles in 2010, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2019. Also, one of my best memories is my Silver Medal at World Championships in 2016 in front of 70,000 people.

Top-ten playlist right now?
Ok, these songs may be the opposite of what you are expecting. I like to listen to slow music with good lyrics -
•    Ride It – Regard
•    Faded – ZHU
•    Chasing Cars – Sleeping At Last
•    Dead Sea – The Lumineers
•    Blank Space – Rhodes
•    That’s My Sh*t – Rainbow Kitten Surprise
•    Save You – Matthew Perryman Jones
•    You Don’t Know – Eminem ft. 50 Cent
•    American – Macklemore
•    Shivers – Ed Sheeran

GRAVEL BIKE CHECK (CAROLINE MANI)

Bars - K-Force Carbon Compact
Stem - OS-99 CSI
Seatpost - K-Force Carbon SB0
Bottle Cages - SL-K Cages
Wheels - SL-K 29" Carbon AGX
Rotors - K-Force 2pc RDB